Top class international match officials are already subject to stringent fitness tests and while there was no indication doping was an issue, delegates at FIFA's medical congress were told on Thursday referees could come under the same kind of doping scrutiny as players. "We have to consider referees as part of the game", chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak told delegates on the second day of the FIFA medical conference in Budapest. "We have started to discuss this and this is something for the future which will be discussed to include possibly an anti-doping program for referees. We do not have an indication that this is a problem, but this is something we have to look at. The referees are a neglected population". Michel D'Hooghe, the long-standing chairman of FIFA's medical committee, added: "The referee is an athlete on the field, so I think he should be subjected to the same rules".

Howard Webb (photo), who refereed the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, said any measures to show soccer was free of drugs was fine by referees. "I don't think it's an issue for any of us because we are not in competition as such", said Webb. "If it is something FIFA want to do, we are fine with that. If it shows that everyone involved in the game is absolutely clean, that is how it should be".
David Howman, the World Anti-Doping Agency's director general, also told the conference that rules might change to allow players from team sports who are banned for doping offences to return to training, though not playing, earlier. "We are looking for ideas on how reductions and early return to training can be done," he said. D'Hooghe added that players in team sports were hit harder by drugs bans than individual athletes, who are still able to train and return fit to competition when their bans end.

With a close team of officials alongside him, Pedro Proenca is delighted to have the chance to referee the UEFA Champions League final – a game he has prepared for "meticulously". In theory his is a lonely, isolated role – a man who hopes to do his job so well that he is barely noticed, a support actor primed to work so that the stars can shine.

However Pedro Proenca, the Portuguese referee for the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, is proof the concept of teamwork extends well beyond the two finalists, FC Bayern Munchen and Chelsea FC, to the Iberian officials who will take charge on the big night. In fact when Proença discovered that his season was being rewarded with this blue-riband match, it was not family or friends with whom he first shared his delight but his fellow officials. He told UEFA.com: "The guys in my referee team are, in the end, the pillars which have made this possible. So obviously it was with them that I first shared this great happiness. Now we are working so that we can have a good game and participate in this magnificent spectacle. Of course, to be able to develop your work with the same team makes it possible to create routines and do things automatically. In the matches that then ends up making our work easier. Being a referee here is the realisation of a dream. It's nice to know that a big association like UEFA has recognised that through this long season we have done a good job. You feel great happiness".

The 41-year-old from Pinhal Novo will be taking charge of his 16th UEFA Champions League match when he strides out at the Fussball Arena Munchen. He has been on the rise in refereeing circles since taking charge of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship final in 2004 and was promoted to UEFA's Elite category at the start of 2009/10. Bayern and Chelsea will be in the hands of a man who has a well-established preparation for such occasions and who also holds a clear vision of how he would like the high-profile final to unravel. "My routine is always the same," Proenca confirmed. "Obviously there's a warm-up first, then mental preparation, and then getting ready for the match itself. We have done meticulously accurate preparation because we had the luck and privilege to know well beforehand which teams would be here. We've prepared all the scenarios, so we won't be taken by surprise in any situation. It is the key to success. Fundamentally I hope this will be a spectacle and that people will leave this majestic stadium very satisfied with what happened. So my last words will be about a great effort from the athletes, respect for all the people who have worked for this final, and that the spectators will be the most satisfied and happy people they can be".

Legendary ex-referee Pierluigi Collina spoke to Eurosport about the experience of refereeing a Champions League final, as Pedro Proenca prepares to take charge of Bayern – Chelsea. Collina, 52, was the man in the middle in 1999 when Bayern snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in dramatic fashion, losing 2-1 to stoppage time goals from Manchester United strikers Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. With the 2002 World Cup final on his resume - another miserable day for Germany as the national side fell to Brazil - as well as the 2004 UEFA Cup final and countless other big matches between 1995 and 2005, the Italian knows a thing or two about high-pressure and big money environments. And the retired Collina was happy to provide some insight on one of the pinnacles of his former profession ahead of Portuguese official Proenca's induction into an exclusive club when he takes charge of the 2012 final at the Allianz Arena.

- How does a referee prepare for a Champions League final?
- I would say that it's like every game because every game is important, but for the Champions League final there's much more attention and great care about preparation, which is complex because it's not only about the rules of the game, interpretation and physical condition. There's a technical aspect too: the referee has to know the teams involved, tactically and individually. He has to know how the game will develop, always being one step ahead. From this point of view, a Champions League final is a bit easier, because the referee could have been involved previously in some matches with the teams involved. It's not difficult to find the necessary information to read the game and moreover UEFA always provides the right material to complete the view. Finally there's the mental preparation, but this is personal and subjective for every single referee.
- Fans from all over the world play a major role in big games. What kind of influence do the fans of both teams have on the referee?
- There's no fans influence - zero! The referee is 100% concentrated on the match, so all the things that happen around the game have absolutely no influence. I think the best way to deal with it is to do your job naturally, focusing on your task. It should be the same for the players too. Obviously, again, it can be subjective, but from my personal point of view the influence is zero.
- This match will be full of emotions. It is about fame and above all about a lot of money. How does a referee handle this immense pressure?
- Football at the highest level is a sport about “super-professionals”, with so many interests, economical ones too. The referee really has a great responsibility and has to be aware of all that stuff. Preparation and experience help to deal with this kind of responsibility. Preparation is key because if the referee is well prepared, then he's ready to deal with his task and it's easier for him to handle the pressure.
- How does a referee consider the individual characters of both teams in such a final in his preparation for the match?
- The psychological aspect is a key factor in this kind of important matches. The referee has to be smart to understand the behaviour of the players in the game to deal with it in the perfect way. But the referee's task is to make sure the rules are respected, so he has to be ready to make unpopular decisions if he feels they're the right ones.

- You have been the referee in the Champions League final 1999 between Bayern and Manchester United. What did you have in your mind in the last two minutes?

- I think I experienced the two most thrilling minutes in Champions League history, with those two goals in stoppage time which turned the result around. That moment represented the essence of emotions, in different ways: happiness on one side, the contrary on the other one. And even for a neutral person like me it was an unforgettable emotion.
- How important is the experience of a referee on this final?
- It's an important element. It's something a referee really needs in a Champions League final. It's impossible to assign a match like this to a young or inexperienced referee. You have to be ready, so you need previous experience in major club and international matches.

Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca will take charge of Saturday's UEFA Champions League final between FC Bayern Munchen and Chelsea FC at the Fussball Arena Munchen. Proenca, a financial director from Pinhal Novo, will be assisted by countrymen Bertino Miranda and Ricardo Santos. The fourth official will be Carlos Velasco Carballo from Spain. The two additional assistant referees are Manuel De Sousa and Duarte Gomes, while reserve assistant referee Tiago Trigo completes the lineup of the officiating team.

The 41-year-old Proenca, who made his international debut in 2003, has officiated more than 65 UEFA matches in a refereeing career that has been on the rise ever since he took charge of UEFA European Under-19 Championship final in 2004. He refereed the 2007 and 2010 Portuguese Cup finals and also ran the rule over two FC Porto successes in the domestic Super Cup in August 2003 and 2006. The Portuguese took charge of two UEFA EURO 2008 qualifiers and was at the 2009 UEFA European U21 Championship, overseeing three games as a referee and acting as fourth official in Germany's 4-0 final defeat of England. Promoted to UEFA's Elite category at the start of 2009/10, he oversaw four games in that season's UEFA Champions League group stage and five in the 2010/11 competition, including Manchester United FC's defeat of FC Schalke in the semi-final second leg. Proenca has handled five UEFA Champions League matches since the beginning of the current season, including, among others, the round of 16 second leg between Internazionale Milano and Olympique de Marseille, as well as two UEFA Europa League matches, including the first leg of the quarter-final between FC Schalke and Athletic Club.

Sweden's Jenny Palmqvist, referee for Thursday's final between Olympique Lyonnais and FFC Frankfurt, spoke to UEFA.com about the honour and how she prepares for such a game. Almost exactly a decade since officiating at her first international between Poland and Romania on 18 May 2002, Sweden's Jenny Palmqvist will referee Thursday's UEFA Women's Champions League final between Olympique Lyonnais and FFC Frankfurt at Munich's Olympiastadion. The 42-year-old has already handled many of the biggest fixtures in the game, including the 2004 Olympic gold medal match and the second leg of the 2009 UEFA Women's Cup final in 2009 when 28,112 fans watched FCR Duisburg lift the trophy – a European club record crowd set to be beaten tomorrow.

- Do you feel proud of your selection?
- Yes I do, I'm very proud and I'm very honoured to be the official for this game.
- How would you rate a UEFA Women's Champions League final among all your career highlights?
- This one is really up [there], definitely top three in my career. And the development of women's football has just increased from year to year, so being here this year is fantastic.
- How demanding is refereeing today compared to maybe ten years ago?
- The game is much faster; the teams are getting more tactical. And that's what we referees also have to do to catch up: be faster and also tactical.
- So, how do you get prepared for these kind of games, because I think there might be a difference between such a high quality game and maybe a normal league game?
- Yes, but I'm lucky. Since I'm from Sweden, we have in my opinion one of the best leagues in the world, so I get very good quality games back home. And I think that's one of the reasons why my quality levels have been maintained, actually: I get good games back home. I've been lucky that I've been a full-time professional referee, so I can put all the quality and fitness and tactics, I can analyse my games after. And all those pieces together make you a more complete referee. So the time and the professionalism are important for us referees to also be as good as the players today.
- So, did you specially prepare for the teams tomorrow and for the players? I mean, you know quite a few of them I guess, but do you prepare for individual players and for individual teams?
- Yes, definitely. At our pre-meeting we will go through all the teams, the players. We, referees, always have to be prepared for whatever can happen. And both teams, they suit us well.
- How did you get into football because you had promise in other sports?
- Well, I would never have experienced an Olympics if I would [have stayed] as a gymnast or tennis player! So, staying as a referee and going to my third Olympics this summer, is because of football, actually. And it's funny, because I have three brothers, my father always wanted football players, but none of my brothers are into football, it's only me. So I think the passion for football I got from my father.
- Does it give you a special boost to referee in front of a huge crowd?
- Yes, the atmosphere becomes better, you can feel the [tension] coming up. And yes, it's always great when it's a lot of spectators.
- You have also refereed men's games occasionally, so would you say for you as a referee there's a difference in refereeing a men's game compared to a women's game?
- Definitely. But I would say when I have refereed men's games and gone back to women's, I think the big difference is that it's stronger; everything is stronger when you referee men. So then when you go back to referee women's games, it's maybe: "Oh that's just a small foul!" But for a women's game it could be a tough foul. I am a believer in that what you do a lot, you become better at. So that's why I choose to referee more women's games.

A referee since 1996 and promoted to the Damallsvenskan within three years, Sweden's Jenny Palmqvist officiated at her first international match with the FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier between Poland and Romania on 18 May 2002 – almost exactly ten years before her appointment to the 2012 UEFA Women's Champions League final between Olympique Lyonnais and FFC Frankfurt in Munich. Soon recognised as a leading international referee, she was selected for the 2004 Olympic women's football tournament and took charge of the final between the United States and Brazil, though she had to bow out before extra time due to cramp. Sweden's referee of the year in 2005, Palmqvist took part in her first Women's World Cup in 2007, returning to China a year later for the Olympics. In 2009 she refereed the second leg of the UEFA Women's Cup final between FCR 2001 Duisburg and Zvezda-2005, played in front of a competition record crowd of 28,112; that summer brought her first UEFA European Women's Championship in Finland. Up until the 2011 Women's World Cup, where she was fourth official in the final, Palmqvist was employed as a full-time referee by the Swedish Football Association before returning part-time to work as a sales manager for an interior design firm. (Source: UEFA)

Slovakia's Ivan Kruzliak, named referee for Wednesday's UEFA European Under-17 Championship final, tells UEFA.com about his time in Slovenia and his reason for becoming an official. The UEFA European Under-17 Championship provides an important opportunity for match officials as it does for players. Ivan Kruzliak is a testament to that, as he prepares for the biggest match of his career to date.

- When did you first become involved in officiating?
- I started at 16. My father and his friends were all referees so it was always in my mind that one day I could do it. Then I had quite a serious injury to my hand. I was a goalkeeper, so I had to stop playing for half a year. That's when I began my refereeing career, then when I was 21 I had to choose if I wanted to play or be a referee. I think I chose right. Now I'm 28, so some people might call me experienced, but I'm still young and this is my first final tournament.
- How have you found your first final tournament?
- It has been really good, the organization has been excellent. We have had perfect conditions for training and the stadiums are great. All teams have behaved well, nothing serious has happened, so we've enjoyed it.
- The referees are all in the same base. Do you analyse each other's performances?
- After each game we have a briefing with an observer, where we watch clips of situations and analyse them. The first meeting is just with the team of officials from that game, but then we have a meeting as a group and we watch videos of the other games to learn from our colleagues and also look at the teams themselves for our future games.
- That analysis must be valuable...
- It is a very useful experience. As referees joke, "learn from mistakes, but the mistakes of another referee". It is not possible to be faultless every time, we are only human. But I think that so far in Slovenia everything has been good from our side, which is very important.
- Only one team can officiate the final, how does the selection process work?
- At the beginning there are six referees and eight assistants, then the Referees Committee has the big task of picking the best performers to stay for the semi-final and the final.
- How does it feel to be the man in the middle for the final?
- When I started my refereeing career I never thought I would be on the FIFA list – now I'm in the final of this European Championship! It is a great feeling, a great experience and I am really enjoying it. I'm not nervous yet, but before every game I think a referee should feel a little nervous. It helps them to concentrate and to prepare for the game. (Source: UEFA)

Europe's up-and-coming referees are urged to make the most of their potential, as the UEFA referee talents and mentors program continues to prove value for the future. They have received an invaluable push forward in their further development from UEFA's talents and mentors program – by which the young referees are provided with expert guidance by experienced former European international match officials.

The latest gathering of talents and mentors – 11 referees, nine assistants and six mentors – at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon provided additional enlightenment for the young referees, with a presentation ahead of last week’s UEFA Europa League final by Spanish match official Carlos Velasco Carballo. The referee for last year's final, he he explained how he prepared for that 2011 encounter between FC Porto and SC Braga in Dublin. A number of major referees, both from the present and recent past, have begun their ascent to the top through the talents and mentors' course. "A total of 177 referees and 43 mentors have taken part in the program over the past 12 years", said UEFA Referees Committee member Jozef Marko, one of the initiators of the program. "The aim is to support young referees throughout Europe in their efforts to improve, both individually and in teamwork with assistant referees. We encourage you to work hard to achieve better results".
Both domestic and international performances are observed to put young referees into the UEFA program. The mentors and talents are in constant contact, and discussions range from the referees' performance to their diet and general conduct. UEFA's view is that young referees should be given the same careful nurturing as young footballers. In addition, the course included a practical training session along with the young referees taking part in training at UEFA's Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE). "Both the CORE program and the Talents and mentors program are here to give you the best opportunity from the best people in UEFA for instructing, coaching and mentoring", said UEFA Referees Committee member David Elleray, senior course leader of CORE. "The mentors have a huge amount of experience. Some of them were in Poland recently, coaching the referees for the Euro finals. Many of them have appeared in finals, so you have the best people to learn from. The responsibility is on you to learn and take information from them". The practical session involved penalty area incidents, teamwork between referees and assistant referees and concentration work for the assistants, as well as an important session looking at injury prevention. "One of the worst things that can happen to any referee is to lose a big match through injury", said Elleray. "Injuries can come from lack of fitness, lack of preparation or occasionally bad luck. If you're fit and well-prepared, you are less likely to receive an injury. A talent doesn't mean that you have achieved something", he added. "It means we think that you have the possibility to achieve something. You must turn the potential that you have into the real thing". European referees are being encouraged to include tactical analysis of teams in their preparation work. Velasco Carballo, one of the 12 UEFA euro 2012 referees, gave a fascinating insight into his preparation for the 2011 UEFA Europa League final – how he studied information on the two finalists' tactics in attack and defence to know how to position himself, looked at the key players on each team, conveyed invaluable advance information and advice to his assistant referees to help their movement and awareness, and made use of key statistics. The referees were also asked to analyse Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final in Bucharest and Velasco Carballo was the ideal man on hand to review the incidents and events that occurred in the match between the two Spanish teams, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.

The two finalists have been decided and with the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Championship reaching an exciting climax, the hard work undertaken by the match officials off the pitch in Slovenia can get overlooked. All European final tournaments have UEFA Referees Committee members present, to not only ensure that the less experienced referees at the tournament get the advice and development they need, but also to inform the teams about exactly what match officials are looking for come the day of a game. UEFA.com spoke to UEFA Referees Committee members Vladimir Sajn (SVN) and Kyros Vassaras (GRE).

- Could you tell us your role in Slovenia?
- Sajn: Our role is to explain the UEFA guidelines to the young referees. Here we have mostly referees with just one or two years of international experience, so we are here to help them with the guidelines in order to achieve as much consistency and uniformity in these tournaments as possible. We are here also to support them in any other aspect they need.
- Have you seen a benefit from your presence at these tournaments?
- Sajn: Certainly. We have individual feedback and analysis with the refereeing teams after every matchday with hot topics and the whole group discusses the important match situations. Hopefully they will go back home with new perspectives or new information. It is important to say that they are not inexperienced referees, as they are top in their particular countries, but on the international stage they are inexperienced. It is beneficial for them to learn and do well here. If they do, the doors to their future are open.
- Do you also educate the players at these tournaments?
- Vassaras: We do. The Referees Committee produce a DVD in order to go over interesting clips and topics and to inform the teams on the instructions that we have provided referees. The type of decisions to expect from referees, for example. We try to educate them on avoiding unsporting behaviour, simulation, and holding and pushing in the penalty area. It is better for the teams not to have yellow cards and it improves the image of the game. It is also for the protection of the players and to promote respect, both between the players and towards the officials.
- Have these methods been proven to be effective with players?
- Sajn: Very much so. We started this at EURO 2008 and we were very happy with the results. We had very few dissent cases there, as we told them we would be very strict. There were also just two cases of holding in the area. After that we decided we would go forward and introduce this system
into all the age group final tournaments. This is our fifth year doing this now and I feel there are fewer misunderstandings between players and officials and fewer unnecessary bookings.
- How have the teams responded to the sessions?
- Vassaras: The feedback from the teams this year has been very positive. When we finished our presentations, they agreed that we have to keep doing it and told us they would like to have it in their own countries at U15 and U13 level. It is really positive to think that there is a drive to introduce this at grassroots level across Europe.

It is a footballing revolution that has not happened in a hurry but it is happening. Yesterday, at a rain-shrouded St Mary's, home of Southampton, goal-line technology moved a step closer to being introduced seven years after it was first put to the test. It is not, though, going to be a sprint finish and it remains unlikely any system will be in place in time for the start of next season. The final decision on whether FIFA will allow the technology to be introduced will come in Kiev on 2 July, the day after the final of Euro 2012. Provided at least one of the two systems under consideration has passed the final stage of testing – which is probable – then it seems certain its use will be approved. With the European domestic season kicking off in August – the Premier League begins on 18 August – neither company, Hawk-Eye or GoalRef, is confident of equipping an entire league in time. The first league-wide use of technology is likely to come in the next Major League Soccer season in the USA, which starts in March 2013. Its first use in Britain could be for England's qualifying games for the 2014 World Cup this autumn. The Football Association has been a keen advocate of goal-line technology, while the Premier League would also look to install it once ready. "It will take that doubt out of that one decision," said Neale Barry, the FA's head of senior refereeing development, who will advise the FA on whether to vote in favour of its introduction. "Whether a goal has been scored or not is the most important moment of a football match. I haven't come across a referee yet who is not in favour. This is very black-and-white, the ball either crossed the line or it didn't. It's not a matter of opinion. If it works, I think every referee will welcome it."

Yesterday marked the first day of the final stage of testing for Hawk-Eye. A handful of men in rain jackets huddled beneath a blue tent laid on the St Mary's pitch. From the stands seven cameras were trained on one goal where there was stood a wooden dummy against which a ball was fired. Today real players will be used to check whether bundles of bodies can obscure the cameras and next Wednesday the Hampshire County Cup final will test it in match conditions. In the stands sat Barry and three other referees, one from each of the home nations. They will also observe the GoalRef system later this month or next. The German/Danish company are to conduct tests during Danish top-flight games. If both companies reach the standard set by FIFA, leagues and federations will be free to choose either system.
"The testing process is exceptionally rigorous," said Steve Carter, Hawk-Eye's managing director. "If Hawk-Eye or GoalRef passes this, every football fan can sleep at night knowing that an excellent technology is going to be used to make decisions." The two systems are very different, although both are required to transmit a decision within a second to a special watch worn by the referee. GoalRef uses a magnetic field in the goalmouth and three bands in the ball – the precise details of what's in the ball remain a closely guarded secret because of commercial sensitivities. The company that is approved by FIFA stands to reap a healthy financial reward, after paying what the governing body terms a minimal administration fee, so both are reluctant to talk costs or reveal full details of how their systems work. Cost is an important factor. GoalRef is cheaper and easier to maintain. A figure of £250,000 has been reported for Hawk-Eye, but Carter refused to talk figures. He did admit his company has spent millions of pounds over the course of five years on the project. Hawk-Eye, which has proved a success in tennis and cricket, uses 14 cameras. When the technology was first developed, each could cost as much as €300,000, but that price has fallen over the years and the company insist the cost of installing a system, which also has to be maintained, will continue to fall. As technology develops, Hawk-Eye would hope to reduce it to two cameras at each end. In tennis, the Hawk-Eye system is sponsored at each tournament that uses it – some make a profit on installing it – but that would not currently be an option, as FIFA insist that there will be no replays in football nor the releasing of any pictures or graphics to broadcasters.
It was as long ago as 2005, at the Under-17 World Cup in Peru, that FIFA first tried out goal-line technology. Frank Lampard's "goal that wasn't" against Germany in the 2010 World Cup gave renewed impetus and crucially convinced FIFA president Sepp Blatter, let alone the FA, of the way ahead. With each deliberate wet thud of a ball against a wooden dummy in Southampton yesterday, footballing history moved ever closer.

Spanish eyes will be focused on Bucharest on Wednesday night but they will not be alone. When the UEFA Europa League final between Atletico Madrid and Athletic Club kicks off, the 10,000 residents of a small Bavarian town will also be glued to their television sets. After all, Ergolding is the home of Wolfgang Stark, the German referee charged with officiating the final at the National Arena Bucharest. "I think all the people in my small town will watch the game on TV", said Stark as he looked forward to the "first international final" of his career.

Stark was speaking after a training session with his team of assistants on the National Arena pitch on the eve of the all-Spanish showpiece. "The most important thing is teamwork," he stressed as he reflected with pride on his assignment. "I am very proud to be here together with my team and to have been appointed for this important final”. They flew into the Romanian capital on Monday and their preparations will not differ too greatly from for a normal Bundesliga match although, as Stark explained, "it's a final and so the preparation is a little bit extra because the whole of Europe is watching". This includes studying videos of the two teams and he made a point of watching their semi-final matches. For Stark, a Bundesliga referee since the mid-90s, this final follows his first German Cup final last season between FC Schalke 04 and MSV Duisburg. Will that previous experience help him? "Maybe it can help because there's always a special atmosphere in a final. But I think a Europa League final is a little different – it's international”.
One of the referees selected for UEFA Euro 2012, he has an impressive CV already, which includes three matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 Olympic football tournament. Since 2001 he has overseen 51 UEFA Champions League games and 18 in the UEFA Europa League, including two in the knockout stages of this season's competition. Stark, whose day job is in banking, was inspired to become a referee by his father, Rudolf. "He was also a referee in the second division and an assistant in the first league in Germany." He remains an important sounding board. "He's one of the people who give me advice”. Something else that does not change is that feeling in his stomach in the minutes leading up to a game. "It's not nervous, it's a small feeling inside, and I think each referee has this feeling before kick-off." It will happen again on Wednesday before he leads the teams out on one of the special nights of his career – as his family and friends watch with pride back in Bavaria.

German referee Wolfgang Stark will take charge of Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final between Club Atletico de Madrid and Athletic Club, at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania.
The 42-year-old Stark has been a German Football Association (DFB) referee since 1994 and took charge of 53 matches in the 2. Bundesliga before stepping up to the top flight in 1997. He has been an international referee since 1999 and has officiated in a total of 89 UEFA matches in his refereeing career. In 1999, he was selected to travel to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in New Zealand and the UEFA European Under-18 Championship in Sweden, also spending a valuable month refereeing in Japan's J-League in September 2001. He took charge of three matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, as well as the 2011 German Cup final.
Stark, who is following in a long line of distinguished German referees, has handled 18 UEFA Europa League matches to date – two of which have come this season, the round of 32 second leg between Manchester City FC and FC Porto (4-0) and the quarter-final first leg between Sporting Clube de Portugal and FC Metalist Kharkiv (2-1). He has also taken charge of 52 UEFA Champions League matches since 2001. With such big-match experience, Stark – who is one of the 12 referees chosen to officiate at this summer's UEFA EURO 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine – will definitely take the occasion on Wednesday night in his stride, amid the big-crowd atmosphere. "I think every referee at this level can focus on the match, and on the match situations," he told UEFA.com at the UEFA winter referees' course in Antalya earlier this year. "Of course, the atmosphere is part of it, but I think you can turn that off as a referee, so you can concentrate on your main task, which is refereeing the match." Stark also explained the importance of a referee making a good start to a match for confidence and wellbeing. "I think the first minutes are certainly important, not only for the players but also for the referees, to get into the match in the right way," he explained. "I think the first few decisions for the referee set the tone for the match, to get a certain security. If the first decisions are taken well, then you get into the match easily as a referee”.

Carlos Clos Gomez, the referee officiating at Granada's dramatic 2-1 home defeat to La Liga champions Real Madrid, appeared to be hit by a plastic bottle thrown by one of the home players amid angry scenes at the final whistle. Granada players surrounded referee Clos Gomez, who showed straight red cards to Guilherme Siqueira and Moises Hurtado before Daniel Benitez threw a bottle at the match official. Benitez, a 25-year-old Spanish midfielder, had been substituted at half-time, but joined in with the hordes of Granada players and officials swarming round the referee to complain about the penalty kick for Real Madrid with nine minutes to go, which Cristiano Ronaldo converted for the equaliser before a late own goal sealed the Los Blancos win.

Clos Gomez reported the incidents as follows: "At the end of the game, while still on the field, Granada player no. 24, Moises Hurtado told me "you are a thief" and I sent him off. I have also sent off Granada player no. 6, Guilherme Siqueira, for telling me "you are a villain". After showing these two red cards, Granada player no. 11, Daniel Benitez, threw at me a bottle of 500 ml. full of fluid, provoking a small swelling on my left cheek, with no need of any medical assistance so far. Once in the tunnel, Granada player no. 6, Guilherme Siqueira, told me "you are a bastard". Also, Granada player no. 22, Alex Geijo, has addressed me with "you destroyed us all season", while Granada player no. 24, Moises Hurtado, once out of his playing uniform, screamed at the match officials "you are all villains".

Wolfgang Stark (Germany) is one of the 12 referees selected for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2012 and recently answered questions during the official media day for referees in Warsaw, Poland.

- UEFA has imposed a strict ban on interviews for the Euro 2012 match officials. Are you happy about this measure or do you consider it exaggerated?
- It is always a two-edged sword, but I am pleased, as our main occupation is to referee matches. The pressure will be very high. For this reason, it is a good measure for the referees, who will be able to focus on their refereeing.
- Has the pressure become bigger due to the Internet? For example, on Facebook, there are groups aimed at discrediting referees. Do you have a bearing on that?
- Of course, the public pressure is rising. However, concerning Facebook, I have to say that this does not affect me at all, since I do not have a Facebook account. In spite of that, I do certainly know what is said there. The pressure has increased during the last year, but the referees who were selected for Euro have enough experience to cope with that. I have managed that in the past years and I am confident that I will manage that again in Poland/Ukraine.
- For the first time, additional assistant referees will be deployed at a big tournament. Is that the future or more likely the technology favoured by FIFA?
- We have to wait and analyze the things after the Euro. Everybody is very, very well prepared for this tournament. Naturally, mistakes occur, but as soon as there is a good decision made by an additional assistant referee, their inset was justified. I am not responsible for deciding whether it will be continued or not.
- Ukraine, as a state, is heavily criticized. There were voices that urged for a boycott. What is your opinion about the recent discussions?
- Of course, we saw that in the media. But my task is a different one. Let me concentrate on my matches. My main task is to referee decent matches, to show good performances. I want to divide politics and sports in a very clear way. I am serving the sports part at this tournament.
- Do you fear for a lack of safety in Ukraine?
- No. I think everything is done to ensure that we will be safely lodged and that we will travel safely to our matches. At home, something could happen too, no one is invulnerable. But I do not think about a possible lack of safety.
- Due to the age limit, it will be your last European Championship for sure. For whom are you cheering: the German national team or the referee Wolfgang Stark? Only one can get into the final...
- I firstly concentrate on my matches. We have to await the course of events in the tournament. Of course, I keep my fingers crossed for the German team, since as a referee you are a football fan yourself. But it does not automatically mean that, if the German team fails, then the German referee team will get the final.

Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo, who attends the UEFA Euro 2012 referees workshop in Warsaw, believes that his appointment is a "reward after 24 years of refereeing” and he defines himself as "a hard worker and an honest person”. In an interview with EFE, Velasco Carballo, also shortlisted for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, acknowledges his satisfaction for having been chosen for Euro 2012, which he hopes to be “an example of sportsmanship and fair play".

- What does being selected for the Euro 2012 mean to you?
- I received the news on 20 December and it was a joy hard to explain. It was the reward for so many years of hard work, training, cold, rain and many games. It is a reward after 24 years of refereeing.
- Did you expect to be in the chosen group?
- Well, honestly, I knew I had potential, but there are only 12 referees attending the finals and many good candidates. I dreamt for sure, but I also knew how difficult it is to be on the final list.
- Do you think it will be harder than anything that you refereed before?
- It is the most significant event in which I will be involved, but the UEFA Champions League semi-final and the UEFA Europa League final, both in 2011, were not easy. Euro 2012 will be followed across Europe and around the world and I am proud to represent my country. The Spanish refereeing is among the best in Europe and the world.
- Do you prefer to referee the final or to see Spain in the final?
- Well, any answer could be politically incorrect or misinterpreted and, with your permission, I would rather not answer this question.
- What will be your preparation for Euro?
- I want to get in the best shape possible in June, taking care not to injure myself too. Now I am adjusting my workouts to fit the end of a long season, with almost a month without competition from the end of the league until the Euro, to reach the beginning of June with batteries recharged at maximum. I also want to watch videos of previous European Championships, speak to Spanish referees who have gone to such great tournaments: Undiano Mallenco, Medina Cantalejo, Mejuto Gonzalez, Diaz Vega or Sanchez Arminio.
- How would you define yourself as a referee?
- I think I have a pretty good physical preparation, a very elaborate knowledge of the rules and above all a big love of football. I follow a lot of football, including teams, players, tactics and strategies. I try to be friendly, but also very strict and inflexible in applying the rules. I try to find a balance between having empathy with players and coaches without losing the principle of authority, which is essential. I like the dialogue, talking to the players and give them a brief explanation at peak times, if that helps reduce stress. I consider myself a "hard worker" of refereeing, to which I currently dedicate my life, body and soul. But above all, I am an honest person.
- Is it more challenging to devote himself only to refereeing?
- This brings many positive things, but also a negative side. Before, the day after each game I would go to work and my mind was free from football. Error and success was diluted with other concerns. Now, my mind is all day thinking about football and refereeing and sometimes it is not good. Especially when things do not go as you wish. To avoid this, last year I signed up for classes. I teach tennis and Rules of the Game at the University two days a week.
- Do you think the referees are the weakest part of football?
- I do not like the word weak. I think we are tremendously strong; otherwise, we could not survive in this 'jungle'. I think the referees are the easy excuse for many defeats. We are the most criticized, but it is something we have well understood.
- Are you in favor of applying the technology?
- Only the technology on the goal line. We need to find a reliable system to determine whether or not the ball crosses the line. The rest I do not see it necessary or useful for anything. Sure, some actions are resolved by the video, but I firmly believe that professional football would be a large minority. Most controversial situations are "gray" and depend entirely on the referee’s eyes. They lose the essence of the sport and would not help, but would generate more and more controversies.
- How do you feel not being able to referee a Real Madrid – Barcelona yet?
- Too much sorrow and resignation. It is something I have been stuck with in my heart, really. I would love to experience and feel the emotions of that match. However, since I started refereeing, I knew that, by living in Madrid, I will not be able to referee Real – Barcelona, but this is a topic passed long time ago.

UEFA has issued guidelines for UEFA Euro 2012 officials, including protection of players and the game's image, punishment for mobbing referees and for incidents of mass confrontation and reiterated its confidence in the officials' abilities to produce top-class performances in Poland and Ukraine.

On Wednesday, UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina gave a comprehensive rundown at this week's Euro preparatory workshop in Warsaw of what is expected of the officials when the finals get under way on 8 June. Protection of players and the game's image, and punishment for mobbing the referee, as well as for incidents of mass confrontation, are among the instructions delivered by the UEFA Referees Committee. The 31 games in Poland and Ukraine will each be handled by a referee, two assistant referees and fourth official, supplemented by two additional assistant referees as well as a reserve assistant referee. The additional assistant referees, who stand behind the byline and focus in particular on penalty area incidents, are being deployed as part of a continuing experiment, authorised by the International Football Association Board. "One of the main goals is to protect players, and we have reminded the referees to deal with challenges that could potentially endanger the safety of a player," said Collina. "We don't want to have referees surrounded by protesting players. This does not give a good image, and yellow cards are to be expected. Nor do we want to see 20 players in a mass confrontation – yellow cards will be given to the initiators." Collina explained that the referees selected in December were chosen on the basis of performances in UEFA's major competitions over the past couple of years, as well as on their experience. Twelve quintets – referees, assistant referees and additional assistant referees – have been picked from 12 different countries.
Winter training at UEFA's course in Antalya, Turkey was being followed by a dedicated preparation programme, and UEFA Referees' Committee members and observers have been monitoring the officials' progress in UEFA club competitions this spring. In Warsaw, the match officials have attended 16 hours of lectures on various topics, and took a fitness test at the city's Agrykola Sport Complex. A coaching programme has also been tailor-made for the assistant referees – "Their role is crucial, as their decisions can affect the outcome of a match," Collina explained. "Euro 2012 is the most important competition for UEFA – we have to have all of our match officials ready to give their best possible performance during the competition," the Italian added. "We need athletes, not just referees – being fit is important. We are taking great care of this. The instructions given to the match officials will be exactly the same as those delivered to the players and coaches. I and members of the Referees Committee will visit each national-team camp to speak to coaches and players - we would like referees, coaches and players to be speaking the same language in terms of football, interpretation and the Laws of the Game. We will continue our preparations right until kick-off," Collina added. "Our referees are involved in major domestic and UEFA club competitions. They are at the end of a demanding season. It will be important for them to be ready. I hope what the referees do will be reported. They are dealing with their task very professionally and doing their best to be 100% prepared. UEFA is sure they will do a great job." Confidence is high that the referees will cope admirably with public and media spotlight at the tournament. "The referees are used to refereeing important matches in their countries," said Collina. "They are ready to face any kind of pressure. We have referees who have refereed UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and FIFA World Cup finals. They are here because they deserve to be here".All referees and assistant referees will meet on 4 June at the Hilton Hotel in Warsaw, where they will be staying during the tournament and will travel by airplane to the different tournament venues in Poland and Ukraine, where the Euro 2012 will be played from 8 June to 1 July.

The referee teams preparing for UEFA Euro 2012 have been urged to rise to the challenge, show their quality and stay focused at this summer's tournament in Poland and Ukraine. They have been sent into the final phase of preparations for the tournament with the backing to make a memorable contribution at this summer's festival of football in Poland and Ukraine. The referees, assistant referees, additional assistant referees and fourth officials are gathered in Warsaw this week for their Euro preparatory workshop, during which they will receive key instructions from the UEFA Referees Committee and undertake fitness work to fine-tune themselves for the assignments to come.

"Euro 2012 will be a tough challenge," UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina told the match officials. "It will not only be remembered for the quality of the play, but also for the quality of the refereeing. We need a very high commitment from all of you from now until the end of the competition." Each of the 31 games in Poland and Ukraine will be handled by a full team of seven match officials, with the referee, two assistant referees and the fourth official being supplemented by two additional assistant referees as well as a reserve assistant referee. The additional assistant referees, who stand on the goal line and focus in particular on penalty-area incidents, are being deployed as part of a continuing experiment, authorised by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). "UEFA has selected the 12 best teams of match officials," Collina explained. "You are here because you gave the best performances – so you deserve to be here. Now we need the best from each of you." This viewpoint was echoed by UEFA Referees Committee chairman and UEFA vice-president Angel María Villar Llona in his welcome message. "We have chosen the best of the best, and on behalf of the UEFA President Michel Platini and general secretary Gianni Infantino, I want to wish you the very best of luck for the tournament."
Collina urged the referees to conduct themselves as true teams. "Play as a team, because we can win only if the team wins," he said. "Work as a team if you want to make your team successful." The Italian – who himself enjoyed an officiating career at the top of the game – urged the referees to be reliable, consistent and accurate in their decision-making. "Take decisions that are understood and accepted," he said. He also emphasised that a key to the Euro referees' success in Poland and Ukraine would be proper preparation. "Today in football, nothing happens by chance," he reflected, stressing the need for preparation in technical, physical, match and psychological terms. "Take care of yourselves. We need athletes today and not just referees. Always know what can happen next, predict instead of following, be focused, learn about teams' tactics, look after your image and be mentally ready for this competition. You are our team, and we want to be proud of you and your success," Collina concluded. "You are UEFA's team, and we are ready to support you. If you work hard and trust in yourselves, then everything is possible."
During the course, the Euro referees will be given instructions from the UEFA Referees Committee on areas such as holding in the penalty area, offside, handball, simulation, free-kick management, injury protocol and dissent/mobbing. A media session will also provide an opportunity for UEFA's refereeing tournament guidelines to be explained to the public.